Barbara Helen Andersen Shafer bowed goodbye to this world on Sunday morning, April 14.

She was 79.

Born in Tacoma, Wash. on Dec. 7, 1934, she was an art major at the University of Idaho, where she met Philip Roger Shafer of La Jolla. Roger was her beloved husband and partner for 57 years. Her first job after graduation was as an illustrator with the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission. She won awards at the San Diego County Fair for her watercolor paintings.

A longtime resident of Pacific Beach at 1356 La Palma St. near Mission Bay, Barbara was the proud mother of four: John, Micaela, Cassandra and Laura; and was a grandmother to 13.

She was a Girl Scout leader for years at Martha Farnum Elementary School, PTA president at Pacific Beach Junior High School, a community activist and the driving force behind the creation of neighborhood coastal parks, the Fanuel Street Park in Pacific Beach and the Calumet Park in Bird Rock.

Barbara worked seven years in the Mayor’s Office for the city of San Diego. She and Philip were listed “movers and shakers” of San Diego in 1973.

Famous for potato pancakes from her Lithuanian grandmother’s recipe, laundry lines and the bread machine, wooden bowl collection, radio news hour, great cooking, the best pie-maker ever and blueberry muffins. These are some of the things that she will be remembered for, along with her inspirational courage and determination.

She was a leader of the clan, a mother to all. Rest in peace.

A memorial celebration will be held at Fanuel Street Park in Pacific Beach (foot of Fanuel Street on Mission Bay), on Sunday, June 2 from 4 to 6 p.m.

In place of bouquets, contributions in Barbara’s memory can be sent to the Friends of Pacific Beach Secondary Schools, P.O. Box 99754, San Diego, 92169.

She believed in the public school system and that “knowledge is power.”